Four Ethiopian Airlines 777s Visit New Orleans

“ Surely it would be more profitable for US airlines to operate these charters flights than to operate virtually empty flights otherwise?”

I wonder if a US airline would’ve had trouble crewing flights full of cruise ship crews given that United FAs refused to fly with 100+ Australians from the Holland America ship that finally found a port this past week?

Ethiopian really shows some remarkable utilization of aircraft. Should be a lesson for the future

Assuming most of these crew members are returning to the Philippines, why isn't PAL and/or CEB doing the charters to bring them home?

In case of emergency and expected great efficiency no one is as good as and as reliable as Ethiopian pilots and crew members. The Ethiopian pilots are some of the Worlds best. That is why all those Chartered flights of the 777s. Even after that 737 disaster (design problem with the plane itself), when it was expected passengers decline, the opposite happened at the Ethiopian Hubs all over the World --increase of passengers overwhelmed expectations. There you have it; there is no substitute for excellence and Ethiopian has it. Thanks. Tecola

Back to Africa!

Very Interesting! On March 22 flew two Ethiopian flights - CPT-ADD-CDG in Business as part of our four leg trek to get back home. Both flights were full. Excellent experience! Would definitely fly this airline again!

There's nothing that a hundred crew members or more can never do

Ethiopia Airlines should be thanked for for the service they providing to the world. Of course they are making money out of it but they are also taking high risk for their employees. Ethiopia Airlines, please keep your staffs safe and keep serving the world! You are a pride of Africa!

Surly I wonder if that's a safe thing to do for an airline which doesn't quarantine any of it's operating crew members after they got back home. Maybe they are making a ton of money off this endeavor but they are taking a possible infection back to a third world country which prizes itself for testing 60 people a day at Max capacity. Playing with fire if you ask me

and why the hell is ET-AVN HKG-ADD takeing route north of Ukraine, where it's right now? acc. flightradar24.com

Probably Ethiopian airlines is much cheaper then the us carriers I am sure a 777 ET crew make less money then us crew
Is why cruise company choose ET

Thanks for all Ethiopian air line this time

mmm - seems like a disaster waiting to happen in the Philippines with all the cruiseline employees hitting Manila at once. The Philippines barely test anyone as they have such a poor health infrastructure combined with corrupt health politics mixed with utter disdain by officials for OFW workers. I guess Dutuerty Harry could just shoot them on arrival.

I can tell you one thing for sure, they will not be quarantined at the Marriot or the Conrad hotels or anything remotely similiar.

Lufthansa and Emirate airlines are cheaper than The Ethiopian airlines.
Wrong assumption.

Hey davistev have you ever been to the Philippines? I live there and in the US and your comments are really offensive! I just came from the Philippines and they are doing what they can to stop the virus from spreading. Some ex-pats believe a better job than the US. Keep your ignorance off this blog please!

Believe it or not,Ethiopian airlines is simply the best!
Because it has a dedicated workforce.

Ethiopian is building these charter flights around exiting service to USA and Europe where in some cases aircraft would sit around on the ground during the day. With reduced service to those destinations, it had built in these charters around its ground times, with stopovers at Addis Ababa and onward nonstop flights to Manila.

There is more coming. Including more flights from Miami.

Give me another airline that’s doing this.

We fed 640 of the cruise ship workers on their way to the airport yesterday. They were all wearing masks and very polite and thankful. As were the bus drivers. The first 6 busses arrived around 2 pm and the last 4 at 6 pm. The last flights were leaving at 1130 pm.

I am from New Orleans and I found these to be very interesting. While I was pleased that New Orleans was used, and it showed that New Orleans can handle 4 777's, I was also curious as to why Carnival and Ethiopian did not position these planes out of Houston? I understand New Orleans is in the middle between Galveston and Mobile, but Ethiopian already serves Houston to Lome so they would have airline and ground staff that would be available. Also, Houston Bush Airport is a larger airport with a larger facility (and also, at this time New Orleans is one of the hotspots in the Covid-19 epidemic so one would think they would try and avoid hotspots).

As you said, it was all very interesting

Anyone with any ideas of how to get out of Nairobi back to Canada.? Or at least to Europe or the States. Looks like there are still flights out of Addis Adaba but an overland trip there from Kenya is dangerous.

Have a friend stuck there. Any suggestions appreciated

Ethiopian airline is getting a truoble from Boeing and USA by it self due to the accident happened last year. Trump and Steve munchin is ranting and trying to take a revange over Ethiopians by siding with Egyptians in Nile issue.

They might be making efficient use of their fleet, but flying a very long-winded MSY-ADD-MNL? That's hardly an efficient route!

@Basil

"Lufthansa and Emirate airlines are cheaper than The Ethiopian airlines.
Wrong assumption."

On what knowledge of whole aircraft charter rates for these journeys do you base your comment?
Hmmmm….. thought so.

To Roy: Isn't ET flying out of Nairobi to Addis? That's a big route for them. What about a landtrip to Tanzania or Uganda, then flying from there to Add?

It’s amazing, Ethiopian airline service is great , they have a lots of convenient non stop flight around the world . Specially from US to any African country.

Ethiopian is still flying many scheduled flights and has not reduced routes or frequencies too much. It is therefore quite logical that ET is probably an airline still serving a wide network - beneficial for repatriation of people to various places.

Ethiopian is still flying many scheduled flights and has not reduced routes or frequencies too much. It is therefore quite logical that ET is probably an airline still serving a wide network - beneficial for repatriation of people to various places.

Couldn't the cruise lines lease the A380 at a cheaper cost? Since most aren't flying right now, wouldn't it be better for them to operate ~2 Emirates A380's (where the 2 class ones have 615 seats, thereby having almost the same capacity as 4 Ethiopian 777's)? I too am curious about the economics of this.

Ethiopian is simply the best among equals! It's winning the heart and mind of travelers by utilizing original Ethiopian hospitality. Ethiopian is a reliable partner!

Ethiopian is the best, getting people to their destination and uniting them with family and friends. It's making money but also taking risks.
THANKS ETHIOPIAN

@RJ, For Roy going to Canada. Am in Nairobi and all international flights were stopped a a few weeks ago. Lands trips not possible bcecause borders were closed. And Nairobi is on lockdown since last night.

@Roy, have them take a bus to DAR, TZ. ET is still flying from there to ADD and onwards to HOU, IAD among other US points..

Thank you Fred and Jafa for advice and info. I was up to date on lock downs. Was looking for an irregular way out of Kenya I suppose. My friend is older with health concerns. If he contracts the virus he would not do well.

This morning I hear from a mutual friend that he messaged that he has found a way. I dont know if it means getting to Addis as I was suggesting or another route. I do know he has a booked and paid flight out of Amsterdam in 2 weeks if he can make his way there.

When I hear I will share the news.

Thank you everyone
Roy

Ethiopian airlines is the best airlines,we should give a respect to the company ,not only passenger service he is giving also cargo service and humanitarian aid.
Thank ethiopian airlines for the great jobs you are doing.

Hi @Roy keep up with US, Canadian, German and British Embassies, A group of us were was stuck in Nairobi and Happen to get out on some of the Charter flights, I got out on BA on 3/29 and Others got out on the Lufthansa flight from Mombasa in 4/3. Register with them they will inform you whenever they is a flight out of Kenya.

You may think this is a good thing operating this routes but they are risking their crew life with this epidemic diseases and they don't now if they are negative or positive

Ethiopian is one of the true greats in aviation history.
No nonsense, brave crews and great aircraft.
US airlines and crews could not light a candle to Ethiopian.
In open competition they would bankrupt us in a heartbeat.
Can we really compete in an open market ?